High school freshman are starting to think about college. They may not know where they want to attend or what they want to study, but they know they are going to college. But, how will they pay for it? Here are scholarships open to high school freshmen.

$2,000 “No Essay” College Scholarship
Sponsor: Niche
Amount: $2,000.00
Closing Date: January 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to high school, college, and graduate students and those planning to enroll within 12 months. Applicant must be a legal resident of the United States or an international student with a valid visa. Applicant must log in to Niche or create a free account to apply for the scholarship.

Appily Easy College Money Scholarship
Sponsor: Appily
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: January 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who will be attending college in the future. Applicant must create a Appily profile (if they don’t have one already), share about their extracurricular, leadership, and volunteer activities, and then search Appily for scholarships.

School Survey Sweepstakes
Sponsor: Niche
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: January 31, 2026
Description: Sweepstakes is open to current high school students, high school alumni who graduated within the last four years, and the parents of those students or alumni. Individual must take a survey on a United States high school.

Travel Scholarship Contest
Sponsor: ACIS
Amount: Up to $2,500
Closing Date: January 31, 2026
Description: Travel scholarship is open to U.S. students aged 11-20 interested in educational travel. Scholarship will be in the form of a travel scholarship certificate (ACIS travel voucher for money off a 2026-2027 tour).

Association of Women in Mathematics Essay Contest
Sponsor: Association for Women in Mathematics
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: February 1, 2026
Description: Contest is open to students in grades 6 through 12 and undergraduate students. Student must submit an essay based on an interview with a women currently working in a mathematical career.

Be Bold No-Essay Scholarship
Sponsor: Bold.org
Amount: $25,000.00
Closing Date: February 1, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to students of all education levels, states, fields of study, and GPA. Applicant must create a Bold.org account and create a “bold” profile – bold does not mean “best,” or “most accomplished.” Being bold means being earnest, determined, and moving.

Junior Duck Stamp Contest
Sponsor: United States Fish & Wildlife Service
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: February 1, 2026
Description: Contest is open to students in grades K-12 who attend public, private, or home schools in the United States and the U.S. territories. Contestant must draw, paint, or sketch a picture of an eligible North American waterfowl species. Deadline for Maryland only. All other states have a later deadline.

ExploraVision Science Competition
Sponsor: Toshiba/NSTA
Amount: Up to $10,000
Closing Date: February 3, 2026
Description: Competition is open to students in grades K through 12. Students must work in groups of 2-4 and select a technology that is present in the home, school, and/or community and explore what the technology does, how it works, and how or why it was invented.

Ag Day Essay Contest
Sponsor: Agriculture Council of America
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: February 6, 2026
Description: Contest is open to students in grades 9 through 12 in the 2025-2026 school year who are U.S. citizens. Applicant must submit a video essay on the following topic: “American Agriculture: Imagining the next 250 years”

First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association Annual Scholarship Program
Sponsor: First Catholic Slovak Ladies Association (FCSLA)
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: February 10, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to members in good standing with the Association for at least three years prior to date of application. Applicant must also have a policy with the organization in his or her own name. Scholarships are open to students in grades 1-12, as well as college and graduate students. Award must be used towards tuition for the upcoming academic year.

Barbara Jordan Historical Essay Competition
Sponsor: University Interscholastic League
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: February 11, 2026
Description: Competition is open to any student in grades 9-12 who attends a UIL member high school (Texas). Applicant must submit an essay that focuses on an individual, organization or movement that has made significant and positive contributions to Texas history or culture.

Davidson Fellows Scholarship
Sponsor: Davidson Institute for Talent Development
Amount: Up to $50,000
Closing Date: February 11, 2026
Description: Program is open to students who are 18 years of age or younger. Applicant must be a U.S. citizen residing in the United States, or a Permanent Resident of the United States residing in the United States, or be stationed overseas to active U.S. military duty. Applicant must submit a significant piece of work in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, literature, music, philosophy, or “outside the box.” Program is looking for students whose projects are at, or close to, the college graduate level with a depth of knowledge in their particular area of study.

Junior Duck Stamp Contest
Sponsor: United States Fish & Wildlife Service
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: February 15, 2025
Description: Contest is open to students in grades K-12 who attend public, private, or home schools in the United States and the U.S. territories. Contestant must draw, paint, or sketch a picture of an eligible North American waterfowl species. Deadline only for Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Oregon. Deadline for Maryland has already passed, but all other states have later deadlines – see website for details.

Civics Challenge
Sponsor: Sandra Day O’Connor Institute for American Democracy
Amount: $500.00
Closing Date: February 27, 2026
Description: Challenge is open to U.S. students in middle school and high school. Applicant must submit a video, original song, or written essay on one of the following topics: 1. Justice Sandra Day O’Connor; 2. American 250: Which Founding Father inspires you the most and why?; 3. Legislative Branch; 4. Executive Branch; 5. Judicial Branch; 6. Citizenship; Rights & Responsibilities.

U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad
Sponsor: U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: February 27, 2026
Description: Program is open to high school students (9th-12th grade) who are legal U.S. residents. Students must fill out registration form and then be nominated to take the National Exam.

Junior Duck Stamp Contest
Sponsor: United States Fish & Wildlife Service
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: March 1, 2026
Description: Contest is open to students in grades K-12 who attend public, private, or home schools in the United States and the U.S. territories. Contestant must draw, paint, or sketch a picture of an eligible North American waterfowl species. Deadline only for Idaho, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Deadlines have already passed for Maryland, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, and Oregon, but all other states have a later deadline – see website for details.

Junior Duck Stamp Contest
Sponsor: United States Fish & Wildlife Service
Amount: Up to $1,000
Closing Date: March 15, 2026
Description: Contest is open to students in grades K-12 who attend public, private, or home schools in the United States and the U.S. territories. Contestant must draw, paint, or sketch a picture of an eligible North American waterfowl species. Unfortunately deadlines for Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wyoming.

$250 Easy Scholarship: Ripple Effect
Sponsor: DoSomething
Amount: $250.00
Closing Date: March 31, 2026
Description: Most of the pollution impacting our waterways originates in our very own communities, due to improper trash disposal. And, 80% of our litter can actually be found on our coastlines. When trash isn’t disposed of correctly, it can be carried by rainwater into storm drains and eventually into rivers, lakes, and oceans, where it pollutes water, harms wildlife, and disrupts ecosystems. By creating and submitting your very own Ripple Effect PSA, you’ll become eligible for the opportunity to earn a $250 scholarship.

$500 Easy Scholarship: Street Sweep
Sponsor: DoSomething
Amount: $500.00
Closing Date: March 31, 2026
Description: When trash and pollutants, like plastic bags, food wrappers, cigarette butts, and other discarded items are left on streets or in public areas, they often get washed into storm drains during rain. Participate by organizing a Street Sweep event with your own Sweep Squad, or join a community cleanup hosted by other DoSomething members, to collectively remove trash before it enters our waterways. By participating in Street Sweep, you’ll earn 10 volunteer credit hours and become eligible for the opportunity to earn a $500 scholarship.

No Sweat Scholarship
Sponsor: Cirkled In
Amount: $2,500.00
Closing Date: March 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who are legal residents of the United States or the District of Columbia. Applicant must create a free Cirkled in account.

Scholarship Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Live Poets Society of New Jersey
Amount: Up to $500
Closing Date: March 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to all U.S. high school students. Applicant must submit an original poem with 20 lines or less.

All Star Verified Scholarship
Sponsor: Verified Scholarships
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: April 30, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to high school, college, graduate, adult students, and parents of high school and college students. Applicant must fill out a short form and answer the following question: “What is the best or worst part about finding or applying to scholarships?”

Humans of Dementia Scholarship
Sponsor: Hilarity for Charity (HFC)
Amount: $1,500
Closing Date: May 1, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to high school and college students in the United States and Canada. Applicant must submit a written profile or photo essay featuring someone currently living with or who has passed away from Alzheimer’s disease or related dementia.

Catholic College Scholarship
Sponsor: Catholic College Info
Amount: $2,000.00
Closing Date: May 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to students 13 years of age or older who plan on attending a Catholic college or university.

Protestant Faith Based College Scholarship Drawing
Sponsor: FaithBasedCollege
Amount: $2,000.00
Closing Date: May 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship drawing is open to students 13 years of age or older who will request Faith Based college or university information, as well as those planning or considering attending a Faith Based college or university are eligible for the drawing.

$500 High School Freshman Scholarship
Sponsor: Niche
Amount: $500.00
Closing Date: June 1, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to legal residents of the United States or international students with a valid visa who are high school freshmen in the Class of 2029.

Huntington’s College Scholarship Sweepstakes
Sponsor: Huntington Learning Center
Amount: $4,000.00
Closing Date: June 30, 2026
Description: Sweepstakes is open to high school students and their parents or guardians who are legal residents of the United States.

Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship
Sponsor: Gen and Kelly Tanabe
Amount: $1,000.00
Closing Date: July 31, 2026
Description: Scholarship is open to students in grades 9-12, college, or graduate school students who are legal U.S. residents. Applicant must submit an essay answering why they deserve the scholarship or their academic or career goals.

Apprentice Ecologist Initiative Youth Scholarship Program
Sponsor: Nicodemus Wilderness Project
Amount: Varies
Closing Date: August 31, 2026
Description: Scholarships are open to students between the ages of 13 and 21 who are candidates for a degree/diploma at a primary (middle school), secondary (high school), or accredited post-secondary educational institution from any country around the world. Applicant must conduct their own environmental stewardship project.